Nature's Debt
by Lilia Lasia
Summary: It is the beginning of their Seventh year. As the highest grade, it has to be their best year right? Pre HBP and completely AU sorry but I love AUs. I promise Chapters will get longer and better. Rated for languge and some suggestive material.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. I do, however, own this story, much to my chagrin. Please do not throw pudding at me, for it is yummy and that would be a waste of food.

**Chapter 1**

**Two Views**

Hermione awoke September 1 with the grim determination of someone would be royally pissed off if she didn't get what she wanted. And she wanted to be head girl. And kick Malfoy's ass, but that was an entirely different thought process.

"Hunny? Are you ever going to wake up? We have to leave in ten minutes." Her mother knocked slightly on the door.

"Oh shit!" Hermione said under her breath. Louder she replied, "I'm coming Mom! Just a sec."

Grabbing her blue jeans and red shirt that she had laid out the night before, she hopped to her bathroom, pulling on clothes as she went. She brushed her hair and teeth in about two minutes a piece. She put on just a touch of eyeliner and mascara. She grabbed her hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. She quickly checked her room one last time for anything she may have forgot.

"Ahha!" She whispered to a book on her bed, "Thought you'd get to stay, didn't you."

Grabbing the book, she picked up her jean jacket off the floor and left her bedroom, turning out the light as an afterthought. She rushed down the stairs thinking happily of the time she would spend with Harry and Ron, sure Voldemort was still around, but if he showed up, they'd kick his ass together for the 6th time. It was going to be a blast. And as 7th years, they basically ruled the school. Not that she could ever do anything to hurt someone in any way shape or form…well, except Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle, or , alright, most of the Slytherins, Hermione concluded silently.

"Hermione!" Her dad was snapping his fingers in front of her face.

"Sorry, Dad. Spaced out." Having given a reason, she turned towards the kitchen to pick up her daily toaster strudel.

Hermione Granger was a 17 year old witch, who, for the past six years, had wanted to be head girl at her school, Hogwarts.

"Oh my god-ssh. We have got to go Mom!" Hermione sprang out of her chair and went to make sure her trunk was in the back of the car. "Hey Crookshanks." She motioned for the purring ball of orange fur to move over as she called for her parents one last time.

Yes, she decided, this year was going to be lots of fun.

This year is going to be such a drag. Draco Malfoy decided sullenly, looking into the mirror above Platform 9 ¾. I mean, that bitch Granger is going to be Head Girl and Potty's probably going to be Head Boy, even though he was never a prefect. Man, that Granger was peculiar. She always had her head stuck in a book and, until the end of last year had been dating an international Quidditch star she hardly ever saw. And, Draco added twitching a hair into place, she doesn't like me. Seeing as how most girls follow me around like mice following cheese, there is just something weird about that. Not that I want her too, Draco thought defiantly then added as an after thought, or almost all of those other girls.

"Screw it!" he said out loud. "My hair will just not spike today! This is proof that nothing will go as planned this year."

Glaring at a few first years that were staring at him, he trudged towards the train. _Where is the "Dream team" anyway? _Draco wondered curiously.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**First Views**

Jumping out of the car as fast as her parents would let her, she grabbed a trolley and quickly came back. Putting her trunk and old Crookshanks on the trolley, she gave her parents a hug.

"I can go from here. Trust me, I've walked this path twelve times. I could probably walk it in my sleep." When her parents gave her a worried look, she sighed. "Okay. I'm not bragging, but I'm the second best in our school at Defense Against the Dark Arts. And the best is my best friend. I'll be alright." Finally reassured, her parents bid her one last goodbye.

Walking silently through the barrier, she almost ran into a tall red haired teen with a mini owl on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Hermione said, almost hysterical at the thought of hurting the new DADA teacher.

"Ain't no problem, 'Mione." The man replied at her nervousness.

"RON?" Hermione asked, squeaking with joy.

"Who else would it be?" Ron asked, slightly grumpy at Pig.

"Oh my gosh! You look so different! You're…well…" Hermione spluttered beginnings of words for a minute.

Ron grinned. "I think I'm getting the message."

Hermione blushed. "I'm so excited to find out who the new Heads will be."

"Yeah, as if it won't be you." Came a voice from behind them.

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked, throwing her arms around the tall dark haired teen.

"Chill, Hermione. You act as if you haven't seen us for years, not months."

"I can't believe how much you guys have grown! I feel short." Folding her arms across her chest, she pouted for about a second, and then, "Oh my gosh! This year's gonna be such a blast!"

Stepping onto the train, the first thing Draco noticed was the absence of many Slytherins. Most had a family member in jail or dead, as almost all had Deatheater parents. _I'm lucky my father has not been caught although perhaps it would be better if he had been_. Draco speculated quietly.

Hearing laughter in a compartment to his right, he opened the door.

"Well…if it ain't my favorite friends." He drawled perfecting his bad boy image.

"Get out Malfoy." Harry said sitting more stiffly.

"You know I like this compartment. Why don't you leave?"

"Get out of here!" Hermione stood up.

"Make me Granger." He taunted. "You're too far away to slap me this time."

Speaking words too fast for the others to understand, she aimed her wand carefully at Malfoy.

"Hey!" Malfoy yelped as a twist of red fire shoved him out of the room. Finishing that job, it wound itself around the doorway finally sinking into the wood.

"Whatever." He muttered, getting up and brushing himself off.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Peculiarity**

"Whoa, Hermione." Harry looked at his best friend in astonishment.

"I'm sick of him!" She said, sitting down in a huff. "He's always so mean to us!"

"Well, yeah. We're Gryffindor, and he's Slytherin." Ron explained.

"He's just so…peculiar!" She continued, not noticing Ron's and Harry's face pale. "I mean, he's got good grade and could be a genius. He's so evil though! He could work for the light, be a spy, but he won't for some odd reason."

Harry cleared his throat and asked, "He's peculiar?"

"YES! He is so peculiar and bizarre and any other synonymous word."

Ron paled another two shades under his freckles. "Hermione, you like him."

"What! NO, I DON'T!"

"Hermione. When you say someone is peculiar, it means you like them." Harry explained carefully.

Hermione went so pale, she looked like a ghost. "I. Don't. Like. Him. He's evil! There's no way I can like him! I hate him!" When no one said anything she sighed. "Guys, have I ever denied anything?"

"No." Harry and Ron admitted at the same time.

"So, let's forget I ever said the word peculiar. In fact, that word is no longer in my vocabulary."

"Yeah." Harry agreed. Although Ron and he still looked wary.

Eventually, they forgot about the event entirely and hopped to safer topics.

Draco was just pulling on his robes when one of his least favorite people showed up.

"Hey Draco." Pansy Parkinson said, fingers exploring Draco's hair.

"Hello Pansy." Draco answered, twisting out of her grip carefully. "I was just going to look for the cart lady. I'll be back later." He stepped out of the room without another word.

Walking through the train, he sighed. _Some of the Slytherins are alright, but most are horrible at being friends. Crabbe and Goyle are alright because they are too stupid to realize what I'm talking about. Pansy is just…there are no wards to describe her, she is that terrifying._ Reflecting on all of his 'friends', Draco made it to the front of the train.

"How much longer until we get there?" Draco asked the engineer automatically.

"About ten minutes." The engineer replied darkly.

Walking back to his cabin, he grabbed Hogwarts: A History and his coat. Then the train's whistle blew.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I love penguins! Did you know that you can't say 'spoon' while you have a spoon in our mouth? I own that fact. And this story. Although I don't own Harry or any other characters that seem remotely familiar.

**Chapter 4**

**Heads**

Hermione walked happily into the Great Hall, automatically noticing the exact locations of the ghosts and everyone else who could fight without remorse. It was a habit she had picked up after fighting the Death Eaters in her 5th year. Finally she smiled. With a spell she had made in her fifth year she could tell if someone was working for Voldemort by a pitch black shadow. No one here had one. Sitting down at the Gryffindor table, her stomach suddenly had an odd mixture of flying bugs in it.

"Mione? What's wrong?" Harry sat down, concern written all over his face.

"I guess I'm just nervous." Hermione replied.

Finally the hall settled in and Dumbledore stood up at the head table. This act in itself was incredibly impressive since he had almost died the year before.

"As all 7th years have undoubtedly noticed, this year we are doing things a bit different. Instead of giving out the Head Badges to the heads of house through owl, I thought it would help our school unity to announce them in front of the school. So I shall proceed to announce Head Girl first."

Hermione drew in a quick breath of air. She was too distracted to realize that she didn't let it out.

"Hermione Granger, would you please come up here?"

Hermione beamed and started to breathe regularly again. As she got up she heard Dumbledore say, "And now for Head Boy."

Draco watched Hermione walk to the front with a slight twinge of jealousy. Three quarters of the school were cheering for her. Tuning back in, he glared at Dumbledore.

"Draco Malfoy, would you please come up here?"

Draco stared. What? Had he heard the old man right? As he stood up, Draco was positive Dumbledore gave him a wink.

Harry and Ron watched Draco Malfoy walk up to the front of the hall. When he got there it was hard to tell who was more pissed off. Malfoy and Hermione were glaring daggers at each other. They probably would have started cursing each other if Dumbledore hadn't been standing between them.


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER:** WHOOEEEEE! CAPS ARE FUN! ACTUALLY IT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE I AM YELLING AT YOU GUYS SOO…there we go. I don't own harry potter or anything else that may sound familiar. I do own hmm….well I own some random writing that I have written but, you'll probably never get to see those so….lalalala.

**Chapter 5**

**Curses**

"I need to see the both of you in the meeting room behind that door." Dumbledore smiled and shooed them over there.

Walking in, Hermione crossed to the opposite side of the room. There would be no way she could be in the same room as Malfoy unless they were as far apart a possible.

"Hmmm…I'm stuck in a room with a slutty know – it –all mudblood. What joy." Draco muttered to himself but loud enough for Hermione to hear.

"And I'm enjoying being stuck in a room with a crazy, deatheater asshole?" Hermione didn't bother masking her fury. She was pissed off and yelling at Malfoy with no fear.

"I could curse you in an instant, silly little girl." Draco said coldly.

"Bring it on. And news flash. I'm as old as you are. And smarter too. I can make a spell to blow you to smithereens in an instant. Don't piss me off more than you have." Hermione warned setting herself in dueling position.

"Oh, you're nothing compared to how pissed off I am, Bitch." Draco set himself in to position too.

Hermione could feel the fire in her stomach flare up. She was just about to curse him when the door opened up.

"I was afraid it may come to this," Dumbledore came in and motioned for Hermione and Draco to sit. "This is the first time in 114 years a Gryffindor and Slytherin were Heads. And including your some what colorful past, this could be ackward."

"You think?" Draco muttered. Hermione grinned and then noticing that she had done so, scowled.

"However…" Dumbledore continued, "You will be expected to work through this. I will not relinquish either of your positions. Might I add that , although I expect you to be civil, I do not expect you to get married as nearly 99 of other Heads have done."

Malfoy and Hermionelooked as though they had both been forced to swallow 26 live tarantulas. It would have been hilarious in a different situation.

"I must now leave, but I shall have to show you your new dormitory first. Follow me, quickly." Leaving, Dumbledore clearly expected them to follow, so Hermione went first and Draco followed.

"Oh my god." Hermione stepped into Draco's and her new quarters gleefully.

"Wow." Draco, for once, didn't bother to hide his obvious happiness at the beauty inside.

"Alright, now I really must go. Your password is 'Unicorn Hair'." Dumbledore left the two Heads to their own doings.

Hermione and Malfor glared at each other across the room. They were both standing by doors. Hermione's said 'Head Girl", and Draco's said 'Head Boy'. Simultaneously they turned around and went into their new rooms. If either had stayed in the living room, kitchen , and main room, they would have been deafened by the slamming of both doors.

_Why do I have to be stuck with her?_ Draco thought vehemently to himself. _She's absolutely impossible to be around. Miss Know-It-All. I don't think she has ever been wrong. _Draco stripped, silently fuming. Putting on his pajama pants over his boxers, he examined his new bathroom. He finally had his own bathroom! Well, sure he had his own bathroom at home, but the emotional and mental torture his father put him through was not exactly loving care. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Climbing silently into his enormous new bed, he prayed to any god that might be out there for a great day tomorrow.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I don't claim to own anything that I don't. Nor do I claim to own, what I actually do. Except for Silas. Silas is cool.

**Chapter 6 **

**Breakfast**

Hermione awoke the next morning slightly angry but overjoyed at her first morning back. Glancing over at her clock, she hopped out of bed. It was already 7:00, and she had a class at 8:00, of her schedule was the same times as last year. Heading into her bathroom, she stopped and grabbed a light blue shirt and dark blue jeans. Hopping into her shower, she thought about the hectic year before her. It would not be easy to live with Malfoy and not commit suicide. Changing and blow drying her now controlled hair, she finally examined the weird feeling she had had last night after Dumbledore left. It felt like she had wanted to pummel Malfoy into a bloody pulp and kiss him at the same time. Finishing straightening her hair, she began to apply her eyeliner and mascara. She only had to straighten her hair once a week since she had done a little potion to help it. Grabbing her tennis shoes, she pulled them on and went outside to the main room. Malfoy was sitting at the table.

"Not today Malfoy." Hermione said, barely glancing at him.

"Or ever, Granger." Malfoy replied cordially.

"Whatever," Hermione headed out the door to the Great Hall. She slammed her notebooks down on the table between Harry and Ron. She grabbed a bagel and some cream cheese.

"Hey Hermione. Who shoved a stick up your butt?" Harry asked, noting the look on her face.

Right then Malfoy came into the Great Hall.

"Right. Answered that question," Ron commented. "Let's see if he can answer mine. Wh-did he do anything to you last night?"

"Well, we each yelled at each other, almost got into a duel, but no, nothing else." Hermione say up and noticed Dean handing down--"Oh! Schedules!"

Harry and Ron wanted to continue the conversation, but when Hermione said something was over, it was over.

Draco grinned, watching Hermione receive her schedule with such obvious joy. It was in all actuality pretty funny.

"Hey Draco," Pansy sat down by Draco and tried to catch his attention. It couldn't be caught, and especially not by her.

Draco stood up and grabbed his schedule from whatever girl who was passing them out. Looking at it, he grinned. The first class of his day was Potions at 8:00. They had it with the Gryffindors. _Well, _Draco calculated, _that's in half an hour. So in half an hour, there will be quite a show. _He just about full out laughed. _This should be hilarious. Head Boy and Girl were always partners._


End file.
